CHAPTER FOUR

The Red Sea

The next day, the 30th of January, I could no longer see land. We had sailed 16,220 miles from our starting point in the Japanese Seas. We were now sailing in the Persian Gulf.

I began to notice that with each passing day, Ned Land seemed to become a bit more depressed, being forced away from the delights of land that he missed so dearly. He often came to ask me where we were going, but I knew very little of the captain's plans.

"We are going where our captain takes us, Master Ned."

"He cannot take us far, then," said the Canadian. "The Persian Gulf has no opening. We will soon have to turn back."

"Then, we will come out again, Master Land."

Soon enough, we ended our journey in the Persian Gulf, and by the 7th of February, we were sailing in the Red Sea, a narrow pathway, commonly used by ships going between Europe and Asia. The Red Sea was named for its mysterious color, often appearing to be the color red.

By the 9th of February, I decided that I must speak to the captain about his plans, as we would soon be forced to return to the ocean; the Red Sea had no opening into the Mediterranean Sea until years after submarine adventure.

"In two days, Professor Aronnax," he explained, "we shall be in the Mediterranean Sea."

"The Mediterranean!" I exclaimed.

"Yes, sir, does that surprise you?"

"I am surprised to hear that we will be there in two days. I do not understand how the Nautilus is able to go around the continent of Africa to arrive in the Mediterranean in two days!"

"Who told you we will sail around the coast of Africa, sir?"

"Well, unless the Nautilus sails on land—"

"Or below it, Professor Aronnax," replied Captain Nemo quietly. "There is a small piece of land separating the Red Sea from the Mediterranean Sea. I have found a small tunnel of water under this bit of land that separates Europe and Africa, which I have sailed through. I have named this tunnel, the Arabian Tunnel, which I have passed through several times. While in the Mediterranean, I noticed that several types of fish are identical in the Red Sea and the Mediterranean, realizing then that there must be a connection between the two seas. Eventually, I found this great tunnel, connecting the two seas."

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